When Ronna Layne moved to the athletic department, she was not expecting to become such a crucial part of Xavier College Preparatory’s sporting events. Following Sister Nancy Perlick’s passing in 2015, there was a void in the place of a public address announcer for Xavier sports.
With the help of some of Perlick’s old notes and scripts, Layne enthusiastically volunteered to take on this new role, which she then believed was to be temporary.
She soon realized she had found a connection with being a public address announcer, or PA, and since then she has been a mainstay. Because of her newfound passion, she spent lots of time researching and taking an online course so she could properly execute the job.
“We did not realize how big of an impact an announcer can make at a sporting event,” said Susan Contreras, associate director of athletics. Sports broadcasting, an extension of the athletic event, guides the fans and players and increases the general morale.
Layne quickly realized that sports broadcasting is a territory of “finding the right balance,” said Contreras. This inspired Layne to learn the correct blend between enthusiasm and providing accurate coverage and analysis of the event.
After years of being the voice of athletic events, Layne intends to expand and establish a student-led sports broadcasting opportunity in the coming years. Through “on-the-job training” she plans to guide young girls to share their voices too. “A public address announcer’s first responsibility is safety for the spectators, players and officials. After that, the entertainment comes into play,” said Layne.
As more women are becoming involved in the professional sports broadcasting field, it has become beneficial to provide an opportunity where students can engage in something they may be interested in pursuing.
Whether on the field, the court or in an announcer’s booth, Xavier is a place where young girls are given the opportunity to pursue not only their athletic talents but also the discovery of themselves. It is a place to welcome more passions for those who want to be involved in sports broadcasting careers.
This potential program would be available to all students, whether one is an athlete or not. Layne plans to guide them through the sporting event and teach them how to be successful announcers. It would allow students to get involved in opportunities tied to the sports-side of journalism.
She plans to prepare aspiring student broadcasters by guiding them through following her example. Once she believes they are ready, she will let them announce an inning or an element of the event.
“Hearing your own voice can be intimidating at times,” said Contreras. It takes a specific type of person to find the confidence to perform with ease. One needs to be alert, enthusiastic, and someone the audience can count on. Layne stated, “I would love to have students talk on a microphone and become comfortable with the sporting event.”
As opposed to play-by-play commentary, Layne has perfected an accurate balance in providing timely analysis and also keeping the audience upbeat and informed. She has learned to bring the fast action to real-time. She recognizes the importance of “less is more” and, in doing so, is able to influence a calm outlook on the audience. While the fast moving pace of games can seem intimidating, announcers such as Layne present the information from the game and translate it into fuel for enthusiasm.
Certain techniques of sports broadcasting have become normalized, but Layne has a unique way of personalizing the experience of athletic events. Typically, only starting players are named at events, but Layne takes the time to announce every player who is participating. She does this so she can recognize their hard work and simply include each person’s commitment to being on a team. “You have worked really hard as an athlete. You deserve to have your name announced,” she said.
Through this program, Layne will be able to teach those who aspire to pursue this career in the future and make a true impact on Xavier students and the future of sports broadcasting.
